[(Title)]Not drinking alcohol in middle age increases dementia risk, says report

The study tracked the drinking habits of 9,000 London civil servants between the ages of 35 and 55 from 1985 to 1993.

这项研究对1985年至1993年期间9,000名35岁至55岁的伦敦公务员的饮酒习惯进行了追踪。

They were then monitored for, on average, another 23 years.

In total there were 397 cases of dementia identified through hospital, mental health services and mortality records.

总共有397例通过医院，精神卫生服务和死亡记录确定的痴呆病例。

Published in the British Medical Journal (The BMJ) the data showed abstinence in midlife was associated with a 45% higher risk of dementia compared with people who consumed between one and 14 units of alcohol per week.

《英国医学期刊》(The BMJ)公布的数据显示，中年禁酒与每周饮用1至14个单位值（unit）的人相比，痴呆症的风险高出45％。1个饮酒单位值（unit）对应8克的纯酒精。一杯175毫升的13度葡萄酒大概对应2.3个单位值。

With people who drank more than 14 units a week the dementia risk increased by 17% with every additional seven units per week.

每周喝超过14个单位的人，每周额外增加7个单位，痴呆症风险增加17％。

However the report's authors concluded that the underlying mechanisms leading to dementia for heavy drinkers and those abstaining were probably different.

然而，该报告的作者得出结论认为，导致重度饮酒者和禁酒者痴呆症的潜在机制可能不同。

The study did not take into account the subjects' drinking habits before middle age.

这项研究没有考虑到受试者在中年以前的饮酒习惯。

Dr Sara Imarisio, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "As this study only looked at people's drinking in midlife, we don't know about their drinking habits earlier in adulthood, and it is possible that this may contribute to their later life dementia risk.

英国阿兹海默症研究中心的研究负责人萨拉·伊玛瑞西奥博士说:“由于这项研究只关注中年人的饮酒情况，我们不知道他们成年早期的饮酒习惯，这可能会导致他们晚年患痴呆症的风险。”

"People who completely abstain from alcohol may have a history of heavy drinking and this can make it difficult to interpret the links between drinking and health.

"现在完全戒酒的人可能会有酗酒的历史，这就使得很难解释饮酒与健康之间的联系。未来的研究需要检查整个一生的饮酒习惯，这将有助于进一步揭示酒精与痴呆之间的关系。”

"Future research will need to examine drinking habits across a whole lifetime, and this will help to shed more light on the relationship between alcohol and dementia."

Current government guidelines recommend a maximum of 14 units of alcohol a week for men and women, the same as six pints of beer or just under one and a half bottles of wine.

目前英国政府准则建议男人和女人每周最多喝14个单位值（unit）的酒，这个量相当于3升啤酒或不到一瓶半瓶葡萄酒。

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Three in five adults drink to relieve stress

五分之三的成年人饮酒，以减轻压力